CIDG chief gets back at pro-Duterte vlogger for spreading fake news
Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, CIDG chief —File photo by Lyn Rillon | Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Brig. Gen. Nicolas Torre III, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police, managed to get a search warrant in connection with a cyberlibel complaint against pro-Duterte vlogger Ernesto Abines Jr.
In a Facebook post, Torre said the search warrant authorized him to confiscate Abines’ cell phone and other devices used in spreading false information against the CIDG chief.
“You spread the word that I was hospitalized. This caused worry and anxiety for my family and friends,” Torre said.
READ: Prescription period for cyberlibel is 1 year – Supreme Court
“What was my action? I relied on the law, I believe that even if you did something wrong, you have the right to appear in court and be given due process,” he added.
Article continues after this advertisement“I applied for a search warrant to get the phones and computers you used in the nonsense you did to me,” he also said.
Article continues after this advertisementIn a Facebook post, Abines shared an alleged photo of Torre on a hospital bed.
READ: CIDG chief Torre to file cyber libel raps vs Jay Sonza, vlogger
House resource person
He is among the 40 social media personalities invited by the House of Representatives as resource persons for its joint inquiry on the spread of fake news and disinformation.
He did not attend the House hearing.
“What’s his illness? It looks serious. Will Malacañang send him flowers? Or maybe KJC would be the first to pray for him first and send him flowers,” he said.
Detained televangelist Apollo Quiboloy is the founder of the KJC, or the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Torre was the top Davao police who led the arrest of Quiboloy last Sept. 8 after being holed up for two weeks in the sprawling compound of his KOJC sect.
Abines on Saturday confirmed that the search warrant was served at midnight and “my phone and PC was seized by PNP.”
In a Facebook post, Abines complained that his privacy was invaded by Torre and PNP, but he did not explain anything about the photos he posted.
In another post, he said: “PNP/CIDG probe and downloaded content of my cell phone in the 4 hours episode of search. It was against my will and no supervision from the court.”
“They have illegally tampered my celfone which was supposed to be the ‘evidence’ and subject of the search warrant. I insisted they do the search with my lawyer but they ignored me. They did not preserve the ‘evidence’ of search,” he added.
